The present invention concerns a conveyor belt attachment mechanism, and more particularly, a fastener clip for the quick connection and disconnection of a movable filter belt to a conveyor or drive chain.
The present invention is related to, but in no way dependent on, U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,559, issued Apr. 30, 1974, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of that patent is hereby incorporated by reference.
Known connection apparatus have been shown to have shortcomings in certain areas. In a quick connection type clip where the upper receiving slot arm attached to the filter belt is so constructed that the upper slot arm is connected only to the lower bracket arm, any abnormal loading between the upper slot arm and the conveyor chain projection arm results in the inelastic bending of the upper slot arm upward from the conveyor belt. The conveyor chain attachment is therefore unintentionally disengaged from the bent upper slot belt attachment arm as the chain is inverted in making a return loop.
In such known connection apparatus, the slot clearance in the belt arm can be reduced by such inelastic bending, thereby making the disconnection of the conveyor chain attachment more difficult.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the connection and disconnection of a movable filter belt to a conveyor chain drive.